I was sorely tested when news broke of President Trump’s nomination to head the Drug Enforcement Agency: Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister. During the pandemic, Sheriff Chronister arrested Tampa Pastor Dr. Ronald Howard-Browne, who defied Florida’s short lockdown order and held several religious services anyway.
Sheriff Chronister also enforced a local covid curfew, and ordered punitive policies aimed at coercing unvaccinated deputies under his command to get the shots.
CLIP: Sheriff Chronister explains his vaccination policy (0:32).
On the other hand, he may not have enforced all laws as enthusiastically as the covid laws. In at least one local news story, reporters indirectly quoted Sheriff Chronister as promising to focus on “public safety” rather than federal immigration laws. He didn’t come right out and say he wouldn’t help deport illegals, apparently, which was smart because that kind of thing, promising not to enforce the law, can get you removed from office in Florida.
Though vowing to focus on public safety, Chronister did release 165 ‘low level, non-violent’ prisoners during covid.
As to his politics, Chronister apparently donated $15K to Obama’s campaign, but more recently endorsed Governor DeSantis during the Republican primary, so he’s likely now a Republican. Still, Chronister is not well-liked by local conservatives who call him a woke Democrat plant. This Twitter thread helpfully rounds up a long list of anti-Chronister information.
I get it; Sheriff Chronister only enforced the laws at the time. We celebrated as heroes those Sheriffs who (rightly, in my view) refused to enforce what they concluded were unconstitutional laws.
There may be more to the story; this Twitter poster claims Sheriff Chronister went back to the church and publicly apologized.
Apology or no, Sheriff Chronister was no covid hero. But more than that, Chronister’s covid policies alone raise serious questions whether he is ideologically aligned with the incoming Trump Administration.
As the more controversial Trump nominees have occasionally cropped up, I’ve repeatedly encouraged GTMTTW (give the man time to work). Now, I’ve been forced to take my own advice, which is pretty bitter. If I were in the Senate, I would vote not to confirm Sheriff Chronister.
I’ve said my piece, and I won’t make a song about it — I will assume Trump has a good reason for selecting this person for DEA, or maybe Chronister really has changed. But we don’t have to like it. During his confirmation hearings, Sheriff Chronister should be required to answer for his own words and decisions.
And he should have to wear a mask the whole time.
